Blind Love
by barefootduchess
Summary: AH - Bella is a freshman in college. She meets her soulmate there in the form of Edward. But fate sometimes has other plans. Rated T for now, rating may change for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, kitties. Here's a little something I've been cooking up for a bit. It's not intended to be a long story, just one that's in my head and MUST come out! I must confess that as of yet I have an ending for it, but I hate it, so we will just have to see how it goes... hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter 1**

My name is Isabella Swan. Today is my first day of college.

I close the diary my mother gave me as a graduation present. I study the pink and silver swirly, glittery cover. Not exactly me, but the small town of Forks does not have the abundant merchandise that Jacksonville does.

Let me clarify. I live in the tiny town of Forks, Washington. Population, 3,400 give or take a few. I have lived there since my last semester of junior year. My mother lives in Jacksonville, Florida. She is also quite scatterbrained and had forgotten to purchase a graduation gift for me before flying to Forks for my graduation.

Until today I lived with my single father so that my newly remarried mother could travel with her husband, Phil. I like Phil, he's really nice. Phil is a little young to be my father figure but still a nice guy. He's a minor league baseball player that has not yet been signed. My mom and Phil have to move every few months if Phil is not recruited to a team, and even then, could be traded to another team.

They are currently in Florida. Next month, who knows? I decided a month after their wedding to come and live with my dad, Charlie, until college. So here I am.

I grab my bag filled with the books I will need and my key. I am sure to lock the dorm room door. I am quite lucky; because of my hard work and early registration, I was able to land one of the ten single dorms. I am especially fortunate since I am a freshman and have a single dorm.

My first class is English 101. Uneventful and interesting, it was my favorite subject in high school and I suspected it would carry over to college.

The rest of the day went by quickly. My last class of the day was one that I dreaded more than all the others; Chemistry. It just never made sense to me. I got there over three quarters of an hour early, but it was only across the lawn from my previous class, science.

I went in and sat down, choosing a seat in the lecture hall about midway up. Not too eager, not to slacker-like. As I sat there, book open and doodling I heard a door open behind me. Quick steps approached and sat down directly across the aisle from me.

"Welcome to Professor Masen's class. You're new. I'm Edward, not Eddie, not Ed, Edward. What's your name?" he spoke quickly and directly. Something about him immediately intimidated me, but at the same instant attracted me.

"Isabella, but my friends call me Bella." I said, hoping my tone was friendly and straightforward as his.

"Bella, hmm, you don't look like a Bella. What's your middle name?" he asked.

"Marie." I said with a slight wrinkle of my nose.

"You don't like your middle name. That's funny. I'll call you Marie." He said with a smirk.

"Uh, okay." I answered, by now I was a bit dumbstruck.

"So, Marie, What are you doing here? Did you not hear that this is the single most difficult chemistry class in the tri-state area? Not only is it hard, but unlike many courses, those who are freshmen taking chem. 101, are studying the same materials and hearing the same lectures as seniors. I am in my senior year; I have seen 93 students drop out in the last three years. Are you going to be number 94?" he asked with some sort of masked authority.

"Yes I have heard it's hard. No I did not know about the levels. And, no, I'm not going to be number 94; I'm here to stay." I said focusing on my open textbook in front of me.

Yes he was attractive, but as much as I wanted to look at him I couldn't seem to bring myself to do it. Like looking at him would be beyond protocol or something.

"That's good." He said. Over the next 43 minutes he proceeded to give me the third degree. By the time he had finished I felt like I had just divulged the secret location of the city of Atlantis without truly knowing it myself.

"Well,' he said, 'I think I about have you pegged." He said and turned away.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well,' he said with a smirk full of self confidence, 'you're shy and not very talkative, until you get to know someone, that is. You are an only child, your mom and dad love you but you don't really connect with either of them, I would say you have one or two really good friends, you like simplicity and you are actually quite a good cook. You don't think much of yourself, but you should."

"Wow, you got all of that from our conversation?" I asked.

"Am I right?" he smirked.

"Yes." I said bashfully.

"See." He smiled.

I couldn't help but smile back. There are some people in life that you meet and you have to get to know them to like them. Others you like instantly. I liked Edward instantly, and though I knew nothing about him, and he seemingly knew my life story, I knew right then we would be friends.

The days moved forward, and Monday through Friday at 4:00 pm I would arrive at my chemistry class. The lectures were interesting. As hard as Professor Masen's class was, I found myself enthralled and wanting to know more. I suspected this is what had happened to Edward.

Every day Edward came in at exactly 4:05 pm and we would talk. Usually about nothing significant, just the ins and outs of daily campus life, or more commonly food, as was today's subject.

"What are you eating for dinner tonight?" he asked. I laughed.

"Probably ramen again, how about you?" I replied.

He made a face. "Eh, I don't know. Whatever I feel like when I get home. Leftovers or a sandwich; I'm undecided." He smiled. Oh, that smile; It lightened every dark corner of the room. No shadow could exist within a thousand miles of that smile. The way his green eyes crinkled at the corners.

His eyes, not just an everyday green, or even a deep emerald green, no, these eyes were green like the summer grass and just as warm.

When he looked at me it was as if he was looking right through to my very soul. Yes, to my soul; that seemed incredibly accurate.

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**A/N: Okay tell me what you think. I'm sorry if this is an awkward way to end chapter 1, but I honestly could not force myself to write any more tonight. **


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry for the delay in chapters - life happens. I hope this one makes up for the lag. Enjoy!

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I came to look forward to chemistry with Edward. And after hours of long conversation I finally had gathered up the courage to hint at a sort of date.

"So you drink coffee?" I asked, it was quite normal for us to discuss all the different types of food we came into contact with. I had never met someone who could eat the way he said he did. Honestly he was very picky to eat as much as he did.

"Nope." He replied.

"Oh, well… what do you drink in the morning?" I asked casually.

"Nothing; I usually don't drink anything with breakfast." He answered.

Stumped at that last comment I said no more as class began. A substitute walked in and announced "Today's lecture will be a film of the labs you will encounter next semester."

The lights were dimmed and I opened my laptop as if taking notes. Checking my email I was delighted to find that Travelocity had sent me a special on their hotel rooms in California. Well I had no intention to go to California, but I always like to look at the rooms.

I caught Edward peeking over my shoulder. I smiled at him, "Can you see well enough?" I snickered.

With a glance toward the front of the room to see whether the sub was the type to care what the students did or not, he lifted his chin toward me and mouthed 'scoot down.'

I did as he said and he quickly moved his belongings into the seat beside me.

"What are you looking at?" he asked. I had learned over the past few weeks that he was notoriously nosy, but I had come to find it quite an endearing quality. He was not opinionated on his curiosity, merely inquisitive for the sake of being so.

"Hotel room… that's all."

"You going somewhere?" he asked.

"No, I just like to check out rooms in different places."

"A room's a room. You sleep there." He said with a smirk and that all-knowing cockiness I had grown to admire.

"No, a room is so much more than just a room…" I began.

"How? It consists of a bed and if you're lucky a toilet." He smirked. He thought he had me here… I loved knowing I could wow him; because what he was about to see changed every year.

"You think so? What about the ice hotel?" I asked.

"The what?" he said, eyebrows raised.

"The Ice hotel in Sweden. You've never heard of it?" I grinned. I didn't think he had; anyone who has seen photos of that place never again thought of hotel rooms as 'just a room'.

"No such place." He countered.

"Bet me." I challenged.

I searched on Google. The first few results were not what I was looking for, but I persevered. Finally what looked like the site I was looking for came up. I clicked and instantly the screen filled with a slideshow of images.

"Oh my God; that's wild." He exclaimed as loudly as he could without drawing attention to us.

I clicked though the slideshow of pictures, each one more elaborate and enchanting than the previous. After the lobby, the chapel, and the bar, all totally made from ice and lighted to look like a fairyland, finally we came to my favorite part.

"Those beds are really made from ice and snow?" he asked. I nodded.

"I'll bet its damn cold in those rooms." I nodded again with a smirk on my face. He didn't miss the smirk.

"Yeah, but pretty fun to get busy, I'd bet." He whispered. He knew I heard him, he meant for it to be heard. I couldn't contain my smile and slight nod.

I clicked off the site as the lecture wrapped up and we went our separate ways.

The next day he was not in class. It was Friday. That meant I would have to go the entire weekend without seeing him. I couldn't explain it properly, even now, but seeing him had become my highlight of the day. Where most students looked forward to the weekend, I dreaded it because I couldn't get my Edward fix.

The weekend seemed to drag by.

Monday my heart pounded as I walked in and sat down in our usual spot. He was there of course, waiting with that incredible smile; the one that seemed as if he knew what I looked like naked, and was currently thinking about it.

That smile thrilled me and made me self conscious all at the same time. How could a person feel all these emotions all wrapped up in one body?

I tried not to act hurt that he wasn't there on Friday. But inside, I was terribly crushed. It wasn't personal, I knew, but why then did it feel that way?

We talked about our usual banter. Somehow the subject turned to relationships. Uh oh. Dangerous ground.

"So you ever bat for the other team?" Edward asked as casually as if he had commented that it might rain later.

My mouth dropped open a half second before my brain could even begin to process the answer.

"Um, no. I don't swing that way." I laughed nervously.

He nodded as if he had figured as much. The he looked me in the eye playfully.

"Never?" he grinned.

I shook my head. "No, sorry. Never had the inclination."

"Okay. So you seeing anyone?" he asked, again, casual and cool as ever.

My heart began to pound. "Unfortunately, no. I haven't been asked out in over a year. Why did I just tell you that?" If there was any opportunity for me to embarrass myself, chances are with the Hottie McHotpants here next to me, I would.

"Because I draw it out of you. You'll see, eventually you'll tell me anything I want to know."

I considered this for a moment. Was it creepy or romantic that he would admit to such a thing?

"Well, I guess I'm really not much of the type for most guys around here." I covered, trying to steer the conversation back to more normal waters.

He smiled devilishly. "Between you and me, there's nothing wrong with the way you look. Everything in all the right places."

I raised my eyebrows, was this man of my dreams a closet perv? I wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"Look, I don't want to get arrested for sexual harassment, here, but just let me tell you, I look for qualities from the waist up. Now I know how that must make me sound to you, but I'm not trying to get into your pants. I'm just telling you that, as a guy and your friend, there is no plausible reason that you should doubt yourself. I'm trying to pay you a compliment."

With that last comment class began and I was both relieved and disappointed. The wild child in me wanted this conversation to continue… to see where it would lead. The bashful girl inside was thankful for the well timed interruption.

I knew he could see me blushing, I could feel him staring out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, by the way, shy girls are a total turn off to most of us. They're the worst." He whispered with an evil grin as he got up to leave. Apparently he wasn't staying for class and had only come today to talk to me.

I was flattered at the idea but relieved at his absence. I was flustered to say the very least and needed time to think over what had been said today. Thursday's whispered comment didn't make things any more clear. What the hell was going on here?

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**A/N: Confused yet? It might clear up soon!**


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